Kerama Islands

Kerama Islands are located about 40 km west of Naha city on Okinawa
Island.
There are over 20 islands in size from small to large, and most of them
are surrounded by coral reefs.

The sea around Kerama islands has the world's leading transparency.
So these islands are known as one of the popular spots of scuba diving
and whale watching.
Of course, this beautiful nature is very precious. So this water area
has been inscribed as a registered wetlands under the Ramsar
Convention.

And the wild deer living in these islands is an endemic species.
It is said that the deer was brought back from Kagoshima Prefecture by
a royalty of Ryukyu Kingdom in the mid-17th century and the species has
been changed by island dwarfing.

In 1945, U.S. forces left from Guam island and attacked these islands
first on March 23rd.
They landed on here on 26th and occupied by 29th.
The government by Japanese army had announced the whole nation that
American tourtured the captives to death brutally.
So about 700 people killed themselves before they became captives.
(Of course, the announcement was the biased education by Japanese
army.)

Only four islands have the islanders.
They are Tokashiki, Zamami, Aka and Geruma Islands.

There are two routes of ship from Naha Port to Kerama Islands.
One is the route to Tokashiki Island.
Another is the route to Zamami and Aka islands. Aka Island and Geruma
Island are connected with a bridge.
But we have no method to come and go between Tokashiki Island and the
other islands. (Once we have to go back to Naha.)

These islands have no large hotel or ryokan.
There are many small minshuku (Japansese style inn) or resort inns
around the main ports.

Islands of Kerama

Tokashiki
Island /1/ : The central town is on the east
coast, and the ship from Naha comes here.
The main beaches are Aharen and Tokashiku on the west coast.
No route bus is operated in this island, but paid courtesy bus to the
beaches are waiting at the port when a ship comes in the port.
If you stay in a minshuku, maybe you can visit the beaches by the small
bus of the minshuku.

Zamami Island
/2/ : The central town is
on the south coast, and the ship from Naha comes here.
The main beaches are Furuzamami and Ama close to Zamami town.
And Gahi Island and Agenashiku Island are uninhabited islands but they
has beautiful beaches. To these islands, small boats are operated.

Aka Island
/3/ : The central town is
on the south coast, and the ship from Naha comes here.
The main beaches are Nishihama, Hizushi Beaches.
These beaches are very beautiful.

Geruma Island
/4/ : This island is
mountainous, and has no beach.
The small town is on the south coast, and a road come from Aka Island.
We can see the wild deer often in this island.

Scenic or Nature / Park or Garden / Resort / City, Town or Village / Quarter or Street / Temple or Shrine / Museum or Laboratory / Market or Commercial facility / Factory / Other Building or Construction / Historic place / Remains / World Heritage Site

How to get to here

To
Tokashiki Island

By Ferry, Naha Tomari Port
10:00 - 11:10 Tokashiki Port.

By high-speed ship, about 35
minutes from Naha Tomari Port to Tokashiki Island. (It is operated 2 or
3 times a day.)

To Zamami
and Aka Islands

By Ferry, from Naha Tomari
Port, about 1 hour
and 30 minutes to Aka Port, about 2 hours to Zamami Port. (It is
operated 1 or 2 times a day.).

By high-speed ship, from Naha
Tomari Port,
about 50-70 minutes. Some ship arrive Zamami first, and the others
arrive Aka first. (It is operated 2 or 3 times a day.)